Belt loading machine



ug. 3, 1948. W, J, MASON 2,446,184

BELT LOADING MACHINE Filed March 29, 1943 3 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 3, 1948. w. J. MASON BELT LOADING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 29, 1945 E11/www0@ Willurd J. Mnann @Zu/d JMW a MMV @htm/nwo h. NN who 5 Sheets-SheecI 5 W. J MASON BELT LOADING MACHINE ug. 3, w48.

Filed March 29, 1945 Patented Aug. 3, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.`

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April` 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) 2 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to ammunition belt loading machines, particularly to machines for loading ammunition components such as cartridges into belt links.

It is the object of this invention to provide a machine to automatically assemble cartridges and belt links into complete ammunition belts. The object is accomplished by a rotating drum to which links are fed. Cartridges are also fed to the drum and are pushed into the links as the drum rotates. The links approach the drum on an incline to which they feed from a belt. A positively driven feed wheel moves the links from the incline onto the drum. The cartridges are fed tothe drum from a circumferentially slotted, rotatable table. An obliquely mounted wheel having circumferentially spaced radial ngers rotates with the drum and engages each cartridge during the rotation to push the cartridge into the link. As the operation is completed, a cartridge stripper frees the assembled belt from the drum, whence the belt falls to a conveyor which carries it to a box.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l of the drawings shows an end elevation of a machine made according to the invention. Parts are shown broken away and in section.

Fig. 2 is a View in section substantially on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the cartridge drum and associated mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the cartridge drum and associated mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a section substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 1, showing a portion of the machine in enlarged detail.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of a portion of a sprocket, which is associated with the cartridge drum.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a loading drum 2 is shown, to which links and cartridges are fed separately. Conveyor belt 8 carries the links to the inclined chute I0, down which they slide to a feeder wheel I2, which is preferably provided with a rubber tire to better grip the links as it feeds them up the curved tray portion I4 to the loading drum.

As can -best be seen from Figs. 3 and 4, each link 4 comprises a single ring 4a joined to two rings 4b. The single ring 4a ts between the two rings 4b of the adjacent link, and a cartridge engages the two rings 4b of one link and the single ring 4a of the adjacent link much the same as a hinge pin holds the two parts of a hinge together.

Cartridges IE may be supplied to the drum in any satisfactory manner, but a preferred method is a rotating conveyor table I8 which is slotted at its periphery as shown at 20. Below rotary table I8 there is a stationary table supporting plate 2| which actually carries the cartridges as they are swept along its surface by the sides of slots 20.v

An opening 22 in the support table permits each cartridge to drop through to the drum. A cartridge counter 23 may be supplied if desired. The cartridges may be expelled from their slots in the rotary table and deposited on the drum by a blast of air from nozzle 24, to which air under pressure is supplied through pipe 26 from a source, not shown. The cartridges drop down onto sup` porting rods 28 which are held in drum 2. Drum 2 is mounted on shaft 3l] for rotation. The same shaft carries a wheel 32 through the medium of a -ball and socket joint 34. A guide roller 36 bears against the wheel to keep it at the angle shown in Fig. 2. At the periphery of wheel 32 are mounted push rods or lingers 38. These fingers bear against cartridge pushers 4I), which are pressed against the lingers by springs 42. Thus, pushers 40 are carried by, and reciprocate back and forth on, support rods 28, pushed one way by fingers 38 and ,back again by springs 82. The cartridges are supported on the rods 28 for approximately a quarter turn of the drum, after which the cartridges are supported, along with the links, by a guide member 44. A similar guide member 46 restrains the links in place on the drum between their travel from the curved tray portion l4to the upper part of the drum, where they begin to be engaged by the cartridges. A stop sprocket 48 holds the links on the drum as the cartridges are pushed into the links by the pushers 4|).

At the lower edge of the drum, the assembled cartridge belt leaves the guide member 44, and drops onto a conveyor belt 5B. A stripper 52 operating in groove 54 of drum 2 assures that the belt leaves the drum. The assembled cartridge belt is relieved of the clamping action exerted by pushers 4U on the cartridges and stop 48 on the links, inasmuch as springs 42 start to move pushers 40 .back as soon as lingers 38 on the wheel 32 start up again on the other side. Belt 50 is supported on a -bed plate 56 which extends between supporting angle members 58 and is arranged so that plate 56 and members 58 form a smooth, unbroken surface for the belt. A box 88 is provided to receive the assembled cartridge belt as it leaves the conveyor belt 50.

The drive means for the various moving parts of the invention may, beany suitable lmotive power,` Shown inthe drawings are electric motors 82 and 84. Motor 62 is connected to drive chains 68 and 68 through a gear reduction unit 18. Chain 88" drives a sprocket 'I2 keyed to shaft 88, thus; furnishing the motive power for drum 2 and wheel 32. Table I8 is likewise rotated with these` by means of bevel gears 95, 9.6, spur gear 9.1 and, pinion 98. Chain 68 drives sprocket "I4, which in turn is keyed to shaft 'i6 to drive conveyor beltl pulley 'I8 through gears 'I9 one of which is affixed to the shaft of said pulley; It willbenoted.

that the two sprockets 88 on shaft 8'! whichv drives the chains 65 and 68 are the saine size, Sothatchains@ and` 88 move at the same linear speed. In order then, that conveyor belt 58A'move at thefsamc speed as the assembled cartridge belt coming off the drum, it is evident that the ratio ofthediameters of drum 2' to sprocket 'I2 must be equal to that of pulley 'I8 to sprocket lll, since gearslttv are theysame size. With this condition obtaining, the conveyor belt would carry away the assembled cartridge-belt asfast as it paid oif thel drum. The conveyor belt should not move more slowly than that tolavoid piling up of the cartridge belt, and consequent jamming of the machine. Preferably, however, the ratio of diametersl of.` pulley 'I8 to-sprocket 'Mis slightly greaterthan that of drum 2 to sprocket l2; so that the conveyorbelt moves-slightly faster than thev speed. with which the completely assembled cartridge beltpaysoi` the drum. This-v arrangement resultsin some slippagev ofl the cartridge belt` onv the conveyor and consequent increase in wear on the belt, but itl also keeps the cartridge belt. taut, andV reducesf the A likelihood; of jamming ot the mechanism.

Nopositive drive is shown for rubber-tired wheel I2, although one maybe providedif desired. As shown, wheel I2 is` driven by contact with the links on the drum Motoni is shown as driving' aI chain 84 which drives sprocket 88. Sprocket 861s connected to drive link conveyor belt 8; which feeds links to the inclined chute L8', There is no positive coordination between the speed of belt 8 and the peripheral speed of drum 2. However, such synchronization is not necessary, so-long as the'inclined chute I8' is kept suppliedy withy links. To insure maintenance of' that condition, motor speeds, and' sprocket: and pulley, diameters, should be so calculateda as1to move belt 8 slightly faster than the peripheral speed' of drumv 2f.v

Although anysuitable control' means may be provided for the motors and the compressed air supply, Fig; 2 shows a pedal' 88 for control of;- an air valve 98 and an electric switch 82; AA moisture trap S4 will alsopreferably be provided'in the air line.

Ope1atio1z.-With motors 62 and 84 running and' air pressure being supplied to-nozzle 243" the sequence of operation of the various-steps is` as follows:

Links are supplied tothe linkY conveyor belt 8, which4 carries them to inclined chute I8: In curved trayportion IllA at the bottom of the inolinedlchute, thelinkszare engaged by the rubbertired wheel I2, which feedsthem upontoL-loading' drumlZ. Cartridgesarefplacedin:theslots 20.of I8:

As a cartridge moves over opening 22 and under nozzle 2d, a blast of air dislodges it from its slot and blows it between the two guides 44 and 4E onto the support rods 28 of loading drum 2. As drum 2 turns, it carries cartridges and links with it. Guide I4 holds the cartridges and links against radial outward displacement. Wheel' 323v rotates with-the loadingdrum, andf-'bringsngers 38 to bear on pushers 4D, which push the cartridges into the intertting links in their downward travel. Stop sprocket 118 holds the links against being pushed off the drum as the cartridges are pushed into the links.

At the lowermost point of the loading drum, the assembled cartridge belt is stripped from the drum by stripper 52. The assembled belt is carried to box 88 by conveyor belt 58.

I claim:

1. In a machine for assemblying machine gun ammunition belts comprising a series of links having interitting rings pivoted-y together bycartridge casings, a frame, a shaft, journaled inV said frame ona normally horizontal axis,- aJ drum fixed on said shaft, said `drum having its periphery formed to receive saidlinksin interiittingrelation andrtofhold'the same against displacement in one direction parallel with the axis of said drum, a series of equally spaced rods extending from one end of said drum adjacent vthe peripheryy thereof parallel with said shaft, each two consecutive rods being positioned to support a cartridge-therebetween, in alignment with a corresponding pair of intertting link rings, pusher members carried by said drum, each pushenmember.- 'being reciprocable parallel to the axis of saiddrum toiengage and move in said one directionia. cartridge supported on a corresponding pair of rods,` a wheel universally mounted on saidv shaftadjacent said drum for rotation therewith, a plurality of equally spaced ngers projecting radially frornisaidwheel; means constraining said wheel tok rotation` inl a fixed plane at anangle-to saidv drumi whereby each finger engages andr` moves a respective pusher member paralleli to the axis'of4 said= drum. in said. one direction, and means yieldingly urging each saidl pusher member iny the opposite i direction:`

2. A cartridge link belt loading machine comprising a frame,- a drum journaled in said frame for rotation `on anormallyhorizontal axis, said drum having itsperiphery formed toireceive and hold against displacement in one directionparallel' with the axis of said drum the interttedf. rings of consecutive belt links, a plurality of equally spaced rods extending from-one end of said drum adjacent. the periphery thereof, each said rod' being paralled with the axis of said drum, each two consecutive rodsbeing positioned tosupport a cartridge in alignment in a directionlparallel with the axis off said drum with a respectivepair of intertting rings on saidfdrum, pushersfcarriedby said drum, each pusheribeing' reciprocable ina direction parallel with the axis of said drum to engage a` cartridge resting upon a respectives-pair of rods and move the same in` said one direction, to pivotally connect a pair of belt links, a wheel universally mountedv adjacent saidf drum forrotation therewith or an axis concurrent withthe axis of said drum; said wheel having: a, seriesof equally spaced fingers projecting radially,` from the periphery thereof, means causing saidwheel to; rotate in a fixed plane making an acute angle with the plane ofsaid drum, whereby eachi pusher, in turn, is translatedzbya` respective :finger inwardly in said one direction toward said; drum, as said drum and wheel rotate. meansfiieldingly urging each pusher outwardly, and means feeding cartridges, one by one, onto said rods at the point Number at which said pushers are the maximum distance 2,344,443 from said drum. 2,412,747 5 2,413,316

WILLARD J. MASON.

Number REFERENCES CITED 127,638 1n 539,184 The following references are of record 1n the 656 629 file of this patent: 300379 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date McCord Mar. 14, 1944 Parry Dec. 17, 1946 Freeman Dec. 31, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain June 12, 1919 Great Britain Sept. 1, 1941 Germany Feb. 10, 1938 Italy Sept. 7, 1932 

